It appears as though hubs and I have entered into the redo or maintain your stuff phase of life. My card tables were in sad shape after years of school projects and art projects. Simply covering them with tablecloths didn’t change the fact that they looked awful. I have had this little idea percolating in my mind for awhile. Â I have recovered a card table chair and there would be no reason why I couldn’t recover a card table the same way. All it would take is the laminated fabric or vinyl for the top. I already had the tiny staples and staple gun left over from the chair recover (or so I thought).

Doesn’t my table top look sad, ugly and dirty. I did cleanÂ it and it just doesn’t get any better.

Pretty much all card tables have a little layer of padding under the vinyl. You can see it in the photo above where it is cut. I saved this padding to reuse as it was already cut to size and not in too bad a condition. It is the thin packing wrap that

The supplies you will need are.

safety goggles

Staple gun and short staples

Enough vinyl for the top or laminated fabric

scissors

staple pulling devices ( we used everything from a staple puller to pliers and a flat head screwdriver)

2 small shallow bowls or jars for screws and used staples

scissors and craft knife

phillips head screwdriver

Keep in mind that small children and these tools do not mix well. This is probably the reason why this job didn’t happen any sooner.

Measure your card table top and while you are measuring check to see if your table top screws into the base and legs.

See the little brackets that are riveted to the table top then then screw into the metal table base.

Now you know if your card table is able to be recovered.

Buy your vinyl or laminated fabric for the top. Â I tried to buy a non- stripey design so it wouldn’t matter if I lined up the stripes perfectly. Un-aligned stripes drive me crazy over time. I chose vintage looking Paris postcards.

Put your card table upside down on your dining table or the floor. It is easier on your back and your knees. Using your phillips head screw driver remove all of the screws.

Take the legs off of the top and set them aside. Then start to remove all of the staples any way you can. Take a photo of the corner so that you can see how the vinyl was stapled in the corners.

It was stretched really tight and stapled a bunch.

Remove the vinyl and place your choice of top face down on your work surface. Place the padding on top and then your table top. It will make a sandwich with the top face down, then the padding and lastly the table top also face down.

Cut the top about four inches longer than you need on all four sides. This gives you something to pull on when you are stapling. We will trim the extra off later.

Staple one time in the middle on the first side.

Then I pulled the Paris fabric tight on the opposite side and put one staple in the table (through all of the layers) also in the middle. Then work one on each side of this first staple alternating opposite sides. Leave the corners alone for now.

Then staple the other two sides.

It will Â be stapled on all four sides with no corners done about 1/2 way through.

If your staples don’t go all the way in then you can get a hammer and tack them down firmly.

Then do the corners the same way as the photo stretching and stapling as you go. I tried to staple little bits instead of big folds of the vinyl.

Take the craft knife or scissors and trim the extra vinyl just on the inside of your staples away from the table edge.

Put the table base and legs back on your table top and put the screws back in.

See Tom put the screws back in for me. He also did most of the work but that happens at my house whenever I get out the tools. He did a great job and I just did other things.

I also have vinyl left over to do the chairs as well. So I am pretty happy about this project.

Things I would watch out for before starting.

make sure you have enough staples for the staple gun before you get started.

Make sure the staples you have fit the staple gun you own.

The top isn’t as tight as the original top but it isn’t wrinkled and the laminated fabric stretches more than the vinyl did. It looks good and is easy to clean. It gives new life to an old table and keeps me from wanting to buy a new card table. This is good since we have two tables and they both needed recovering. It keeps them both out of the landfill.

Today is all about table covers as I work to create table cloths for the craft show. I have a wide variety of Â fabrics and textures to use and I need to figure out a way to use them creatively without buying anything new. My supplies consist of

burlap. real burlap bags that I have washed and dried three times

canvas …left over from sewing the slip covers on the couch

a white bedskirt that has eyelet ruffles and embroidery all in shades of white

white tulle left over from the wedding

off white and white muslin left over from a variety of crafts

I just need to figure out the most attractive fabric layout so I can stitch up these table cloths.. That is the challenge for today. We will see how it all goes together.

Some bunting or banners would also work well in white and off white colors. We are working with neutral colors. We hope that these colors will stick in the background and all Â the items to stand out more. The balance might be off color wise but I can’t tell until I lay out the colors and see.

I really don’t want to buy any more fabric but we will see how it looks when I’m done.

Last month I listed everything I got done day byÂ day for the Christmas selling season and in preparation for the craft show. It helpedÂ me keep track of how I wasÂ doingÂ and how much I had left. I always feel that I am not doing enough. This will be like a foodÂ diary; a true picture of how much I wasÂ getting done to prepare. I still have my to do list for the month.

Make Menu and Grocery list

sew buttons on cup coziesÂ

Stiffen Â all crochet ornaments

cut out Tardis baby bibs

cut out flannel baby bibs

sew flannel baby bibs

sew 37Â cup cozies now cut outÂ

Sew Tardis baby bibs

add ribbons to all ornaments

Crochet 4 Â men’s hats

Crochet 2Â Women’s rose hats

Crochet 5 Granny Stripe Scarves

Crochet 5 Granny Square Scarves

Crochet stars

Crochet hearts

Sew 10 superhero capes

Sew 10 aprons

Cut out 8 Â aprons

Organize my side of the maker space

Sew 6 flannel baby blankets for crochet trim

Sew pillow cases for crochet trim

sew 3 craft show aprons

Sew 20 burp cloths Â I’ve currently sewn 16

finish owl hats that need eyes, wings and beaks

Sew tags on all the scarves and hats

Anything else I can think of!

Oct 1. Â Thursday

Sewed, topstitched and buttoned 57 cup cozies

Sewed eyes on Minion 6 minion hats, and 1 ninja turtle hat

Did the hand work on 7 heart ornaments

Oct. 2. Â Friday

20 minutes posting on Hootsuite

October 3 Saturday

Posted on Hootsuite

October 4 Sunday

took the day off and made cake!

listed 3Â items on Handmade@Amazon

October 5 Monday

Listed 24 items on Handmade @Amazon

sewed patchwork bibs yellow 6 they are ready for batting and backing!

shipped order

dropped off hat…

Tuesday

sewed 10 patchwork bibs Â (lots of work but they are really cute.)

Wed.

Crocheted 2 hats 1 teal and 1 copper

Thursday

Cut threads and finished quilting on patchwork baby bibs

Sold two adult blankets and 1 baby blanket

Friday

listed 10 baby blankets on Amazon/handmade

Saturday!Â Tons done today.

Figured out the craft show display

started painting some of the craft show display pieces

watched more of the Influence/Impact summit.

we have watched about 10 of the interviews so far and the knowledge we have gleaned is incredible. I love the fact that it is free!

Sunday

Cut and pin Burp clothes

watch Influence and Impact Symposium

Crochet head band

work on crochet triangle scarf/shawl

Monday October 12 Columbus Day

Iron and sew burp cloths

I put the tags on and cut the threads

Finished three blanket scarves

watched Dave Ramsey on Influence and Impact

Started crocheting a hat

wove in the ends on the teal hat

And THEN the week happened….

Saturday and Sunday

worked on displays and floor plan for the craft fair.

Spent time with family and enjoyed the weekend.

Date night on Friday night and went to the Vintage Market Fair, twice! Once on Friday and once on Saturday.

I had breakfast with friends, lunch with my Daughter in law and Dinner with Dale. When I told him I had eaten every meal out. He said not to get used to it, Â but we had a great date night.

If these don’t have a chapter or donation center in your area, I am sure that there are localÂ charities that will be glad for you to help. The local homeless shelters will be happy to accept scarves and hats for their donations. Women’s shelters will often accept donations of slippers, hats, and blankets. Local hospitals may accept premie hats, and blankets. You do need to be sure and contact them before you start. They may have rules on what they can accept or the type of yarns used. Our local women’s shelter will only accept donations of blankets if they have enough for everyone currently in the shelter. Be wise and make sure that they can actually use what you are wanting to create.

There are so many different ways that your stitching can warm and comfort others. Don’t get discouraged thinking that you can’t help others. Blankets and yarn items have been used for comfort for years. Keep up the good work!